Milking apparatus



I July '31, 1934.

1K. LuKs 1,968,564 I MILKING APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR lw M- /K/1-ATTORNEYS July 31, 1934. K. LUKSMILKING APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 31, 1934.K. LUKS .MILKING APPARATUS Filed March 17, 1928 4 Sheets-Shget 3 1INVENTOR ATTORNEYS July 31', 19341 K. LUKS M I LK ING APPARATUSFiledMaroh 17, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet {1 l INVENTOR v /1, ATTORNEYSPatented July 31, 1934 UNITED STATES ammo APPARATUS Krae ner Luks,Towaco, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Walker-GordonLaboratory Company, Inc., Plainsboro, N. 1., a corporation of DelawareApplication March 17, 1928, Serial No. 262,389

21 Claims. (01. 31-58) This invention relates to apparatus for milkingcows and contemplates the provision of means whereby a system .may beestablished for the movement of animals seriatim from their barns andfor subjecting them in sequence to all the operations incidental tohygienic milking while the cows are traveling on a moving platform.

Another object is to provide means whereby the cows file from theirbarns, walk successively into position on a moving platform, remain insaid position on the platform during all the operations, and thensuccessively step off the platform upon arriving at a given position andfile back to their barns.

Another object consists in providing such an apparatus in which thetraveling platform moves in an endless path, supports devices forperforming certain of the operations, and successively passes stationsat which are located devices appropriate for the performance of othersof the operations, the said devices being arranged in such sequence asto require the correct succession of the operations, and being locatedat such distances apart as to allow the correct amountof time for eachoperation before any given animal reaches the succeeding station.

Another object consists in providing such apparatus in which the movingplatform is annular in form and the stations for certain of theoperating devices are located around its outside circumference, whileits irmer circumference is employed for the exit of the animals and forthe location of any such complementary struc-' ture as may be desirable.This arrangement allows adequate room for the operating devices becausethe outside circumference is, of course, much greater than the inside,and it also facilitates the said operations because of the relativelyslow linear speed of the outside circumference at any given R. P. M.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus which has the capacityforhandling a large number of animals and yet is comparatively'compact 1and simple in construction.

v shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. "4 represents an enlarged detail section taken substantially in theplane of the line IV-IV of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of thearrows.

Fig. 5 represents a detail section taken in the plane of the line V-V ofFig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 represents an, enlarged detail section,

on the same scale as Fig. 4, taken substantially in the plane of theline VI--VI of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. '7 represents a section taken in the plane of the line VII-41H ofFig. 6; looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing certainparts more completely. v

The general system followed in the individual application of myinvention may be amatter of substantial importance and, in order betterto visualize the same, reference may be had to Fig. 1 in which thegeneral lay-out is diagrammatically represented. Two series of barns aremarked 1, 2. The building in which my improved apparatus may be housedis indicated by 3, and an endless walkway for the cows is marked 4. Thiswalkway is arranged so as to meet with the upper level of the apparatusat the ingress point denoted by 5, and to leave on the same level at theegress point marked 6, and then be depressed and pass under theapparatus, as indicated in dotted lines, until it rejoins the mainwalkway at the normal level thereof. The arrows on the walkway denotethe path of travel of the animals, and it will, of course, be understoodthat they file in sequence from the barns 1 and 2 for the milkingoperation, and return to the same thereafter, in accordance with thepredetermined system under'which the plant is operated.

The moving" platform is denoted generally by 7, and it preferably takesthe form of an annulus fitted to be supported in a suitable depressionformed in the foundations of the building for housing the apparatus. Thesaid platform or turntable may have a cementitious surface 8 sup portedon metallic or other suitable flooring 9 carried by angle iron or otherappropriate beams 10. The said beams 10 are radially disposed atsuitable intervals around the platform 7 and their inner and outer endsare riveted to and supported by channel girders 11, 12, that aresuitably curved so as to conform to the shape of the platform.

A pair of concentric rails or tracks 13, 14, are

secured to the under sides of the beams 10 by suitable clamping devices15, 16, and the said rails are designed to rest upon two concentricseries of wheels 17, 18, (see Fig. 3) which are properly mounted inorder to constitute means for supporting and permitting rotary travel ofthe platform 7. The said rails may be ordinary railroad rails and thewheels similar to railro car wheels.

Series of journals 19,20, carry the wheels 17, 18 and are themselvesmounted on supports 21, 22, which may conveniently be composed ofreinforced concrete.

Two of the wheels 17, preferably diametrically opposed, are positivelydriven from motors 23, through suitable connections of conventionalform. The driving of the said wheels 17 serves to rotate the platform 7at desired speed. I find a peripheral speed of the outside circumferenceof the platform amounting to twelve feet per minute to be satisfactory.

In order to prevent slippage between the wheels and rail in the drive,it is desirable to have the journals 19 yieldingly mounted in any wellknown or approved form. Such mounting *may also be provided for thejournals 20 that carry the wheels 18, if desired.

The upper surface of the platform I has a se-,

ries of radially disposed divisions which are marked 24. In the presentinstance of these are shown, and they may conveniently be composed ofhollow iron piping suitably fixed on the cementitious surface 8. Thesaid devices are spaced apart at such distance as to establish betweeneach contiguous pair a stall for a cow, so that forty cows can beaccommodated at one time on the platform. It will, of course, be clearthat this number may be increased or decreased by varying the size ofthe apparatus.

Each of the said devices 24 constitutes a means of support for asuitable milking machine intended to be operative during a portion ofthe time the animals are being transported on the platform. The saidmilking machine is illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings but, as itconstitutes no part of my invention and is described in a copendingapplication of Cyrus H. Hapgood, Serial Number 262,337 filed of evendate herewith, the same will not be herein described other than to notethat the teat cups are indicated by 25, the connecting tubes foroperating them by 26, a pulsator pipe by 27, a vacuum pipe by 28, andthe milk pail by 29. v

The apparatus also includes a series of iron piping frames 30 which havetheir outer ends mounted on the foundation exterior to the platform, asindicated at 31, and their inner ends fastened, as at 32, to a wall 33,or other structure located within the inner circumference of theplatform. The said frames 30 are suitably .all as shown and described insaid co-pending application of Cyrus H. Hapgood. As these ar rangementsconstitute no part of my invention, they will not be further describedherein.

In order to provide power for the actuation of the milking machine, apair of motors 38, 38, are carried in an angle iron sling 39 fast to theunder side of. the platform '1. Each of said motors drives a combinedexhaust pump and pulsator 40, 40, the said exhaust pumps being connectedby branch piping 41 to a main pipe 4?. which is connected in anypracticable way with the vacuum pipe 28 of the milking machine. It isintended to use only one of the motors and connected devices at a time,the second being supplied in order to eliminate interruption in theoperation in case of breakdown. Valves 43, 43, in the branch pipes 4i,41, enable either exhaust pump to be connected with the main pipe-42.Pipe extensions 44, 44, from the pulsators, may be united with a singlepipe that is connected with the pulsator pipe 2'? in a manner similar tothe vacuum pipe just described, or in any other well known or approvedway.

The apparatus further comprises means for washing each animal after ittakes its position on the traveling platform and before milkingoperation begins. This means consists of a series of stand pipes 45which are coincident with the devices 24 and located near the outercircumference of the platform. Each stand pipe has an overhanging sprayhead 46 with a pair of nozzles 47, and a lower spray head 48 with a pairof nozzles 49. The said pipes are connected at their lower ends with awater main 50 that is circularly formed and carried by straps 51 beneaththe radially disposed beams 10. The said water min 50 is supplied withwater under pressure through a pipe 52 connected with a pump as that ishung in a sling 54 fixed to the under side of the platform. The saidpump communicates by a pipe 55 with a circular trough 56 that is carriedin brackets 57 bolted or otherwise secured to the beams 10. A supplypipe 58 from a suitable source leads into the trough 56 and the flow ofwater therefrom into the trough is governed by a float valve 59 similarto the common float valve usually employed in flush tanks. Thisarrangement provides for maintaining a predetermined level of water inthe trough 56 and allows for relative movement of the trough and supplypipe during the rotation of the platform 7. The pump 53 may be drivenfrom a motor 60 mounted in the same sling 54.

The actuation of the spray nozzles 47, 49,is governed by a valve 61,which is provided with a lever 62 normally urged upwardly by aretractile spring 63. A shoe 64 is carried by a bracket 65 fast to thefoundation surrounding the platform and provided with upwardly curvedends, as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The said shoe is designed to contactwithrollers 66 on the lower ends of the levers 62 and to depress thesaid levers against the action of the springs 63 in order to open thevalves 61 and permit the water to be sprayed from the nozzles 47, 49.I'he length of the shoe 64 determines the extent of the period of spray.

All the previously mentioned motorsare provided with power through threepoles 67 that have shoes 68 at their upper ends which run on wire rings69 carried on the under side of the platform '7, and communicating bysuitable connections, generally indicated by 70, with the motors.

It may be desirable to have additional sprays p y g p n the rear of theanimal, and, to this point adjacent the outer circumference of theplatform 7. The said drying means is represented diagrammatically inFig. 2 and may be of any well known or approved construction.

The exit walkway for the animals, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, ismore fully represented, as to its construction, in Fig. 3, and mayconsist of reinforced concrete supports flanked by walls or rails 76with occasional uprights 77 having cross heads 78. The walls, of course,guide the animals, and the. uprights and cross heads prevent disorder.

The surface immediately exterior to the outer circumference of theplatform '7 has a gutter '79 formed therein with drain pipes 80 atintervals for the escape of the wash water and refuse. The said gutteris furnished at its inner edge with an upstanding guard 81 thatcooperates with a depending flap 82 on channel beam 12 to prevent anysplashing or seepage of the drain water from the gutter into the spacebeneath the platform.

The diagrammatic view represented in Fig. 2 is marked to indicate thesuccessive operations and the'proportional period of time allowed foreach. When the apparatus is in use, an animal steps from the walkway 4onto the traveling platform in the position indicated by the dottedfigure of a cow shown at 83 in Fig. 2. The platform is, at that time,moving in the direction of the arrow indicated thereupon. Promptly afterthe animal reaches this position on the platform, the sprays come intooperation and cleanse the animal during the period of time marked Spraywas on Fig. 2, which is indicated as being d3 seconds. Following thisthe animal may he chine is intended to he in operation for a period of309 seconds, and then an operator is allowed 21 seconds ior detachingthe teat cups. Following this there is a manual stripping in order tocomplete the milking operation, and this is intended to be accomplishedin 63 seconds. At

the end of the stripping operation the cow has reached the point ofegress .into the walkway indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and asthis point is reached, the stall in which the animal is standing comesin coincidence with an.opening 84 in the wall structure 33 and thecow,as is its wont, immediately steps through the said opening into thewalkway.

The description which has just been given with respect to a singleanimal takes place with each animal in succession, and it will beunderstood that there is a continuous procession of the cows filing ontothe moving platform, into the successive stalls, and off the platforminto the walkway. Thus, from the time each cow leaves its barn until itreturns thereto, there is a constant movement in a given direction sothat the whole purpose is accomplished by systematic progression fromthe barn through the milking operations and others incidental theretoand back to the barn, without any reversal or confusion of movement. Theperiods allowed for the various operations are practicable and suitablebut they are, of course, variable in accordance with individual judgmentand the exigencies of any particular plant. Following the milking step,in any case, the milk pails may be emptied into suitable receptacles andthe output from each animal weighed and recorded as described, forinstance, in the said car-pending application of Cyrus H. Hapgood.

The disclosure of my invention herein set forth involves, also, adisclosure ofother novel subject matter not my invention and which formssubject matter of the said co-pending application of Cyrus H. Hapgood.

It will be understood that various changes may be resorted to in theform, construction and arrangement of the several parts and in theperiods of operation without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention; hence, i do not intend to be limited to the details hereinshe and described except as they may be included in the claims.

What I claim is:

'l. Apparatus designed for milking the animals of a group in succession,said apparatus comprising, a movable. platform, means for actuating theI same, means enabling the ingress of theanimals to the platform andtheir egress therefrom, and means for milking the animals while on theplatform and moving from the point of ingress to the point of egress.

2. Apparatus designed for milking and treating-the animals of a group insuccession, said apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means foractuating the same, mea ns enabling the ingross oi the animals to theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking and means fortreating the animals while on the platform and moving from the point ofingress to the point of egress. Y

3. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a group insuccession, said apparatus comprising, a movableplatfonn, means foractuating the same, means enabling the ingress of the animals to theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking and means tortreating the animals while on the platform and moving from the point ofingress to the point of egress, part of'said last named means helngcarried by the platform and part being mounted adjacent the platform.

Apparatus designed for milking the la of a group in succession, saidapparatus comprising, an endless movable platform, means for actuatingthe same, means enabling the ingress of the animals to the platform andtheir egress therefrom. and means for milking the animals while on theplatform and moving from the point of ingress to the point of egress.

5. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a group insuccession, said apparatus comprising, an endless movable platform,means for actuating the same, means enabling the ingress'of the ,animalsto the platform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking andmeans for'treatingthe animals while on-the platform and moving from thepoint of ingress to the point of egress.

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8. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a group insuccession, said apparatus comprising an endless movable platform,

means for actuating the same, means enabling the ingress of the animalsto the platform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking andmeans for treating the animals while-on the platform and moving from thepoint of ingress to the point of egress, part of said last named meansbeing carried by the platform and part being mounted adjacent theplatform.

7. Apparatus'designed for milking the animals of a group in succession,said apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means for actuating thesame, means enabling the ingress of the animals to the platform andtheir egress therefrom, and

means for milking the animals while on the plat-' form and moving fromthe point of ingress to the point of egress, said point of ingress beingat one side of the platform and said point of egress being at the otherside of the platformfand a walkway leading-to the point of ingress andaway from the point of egress and passing both over and under theplatform.

8. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a group insuccession, said apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means foractuating the same, means enabling the in-, gress of the animals to theplatform and their egresstherefrom, and means for milking and means fortreating the animals while on the platform and moving from the point ofingress to the point of egress, said point of ingress being at one sideof the platform and said point of egress being at the other side of thelatform, and a walkway leading'to the point of ingress and away from thepoint of egress and passing both over and under the platform.

9. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a group insuccession, said apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means foractuating the-same, means enabling the ingress of the animals to theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking and means fortreating the animals while on the platform and moving from the point ofingress to the point of egress, part of said last named means beingcarried by the platform and part being mounted adjacent the platform,said point of in-.

. gress being at one side of the platform and said point of egress beingat -the other side of the platform, and a walkway leading to the pointof ingress and away from the point of egress and passing both over andunder the platform.

10. Apparatus designed for milking the animals of a-group in succession,said apparatus c'omprising, an endless movable platform, means foractuating the same, means enabling the ingress of the animals to theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking the animals.while on the platform and moving from the point of ingress to thepointof egress, said point of ingress being at one side of the platformand said. point of egress being at the other sideof the platform,

'. the platform and moving-from the point of ingress to the point ofegress, said point of ingress being at one side of the platform and saidpoint of egress being at the other side of the platform, and a walkwayleading to the point of ingress and away from the point of egress andpassing both over and under the platform.

12. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a groupin succession, said apparatus comprising, an endless movable platform,means for actuating the same, means enabling the ingress of theanimals-to'theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milkingand means for treating the animals while on the platform and moving fromthe point of ingress to the point of egress, part of said last namedmeans being carried by the platform and part being mounted adjacent theplatform, said point of ingress being at one side of the platform andsaid point of egress being at the other side of the platform, and awalkway leading to the point of ingress and away from the point ofegress and passing both over and under the platform.

13. Apparatus designed for milking the animals of a group in succession,said apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means for actuating thesame, means enabling the ingress of the animals to the platform andtheir egress therefrom, and means for milking the animals while on theplatform and moving from the point of ingress to the point of egress,said point of ingress being at one side of the platform and said pointof egress being at the other side of the platform, a walkway leading tothe point of ingress and away from the point of egress and passing bothover and under the platform, and shelters for the animals spaced fromthe platform and connected in circuit with said walkway.

14. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a groupin succession, said apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means foractuating the same; means enabling the ingress of the animals to theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking and means fortreating the animals while on the platform and moving from the point ofingress to the point of egress, said point of ingress being at one sideofthe platform and said point of egress being at the other side of theplatform, a walkway leading to the point of ingress and away from thepoint of egress and passing both over and under the platform andshelters for the animals spaced from the platform and connected incircuit with said walkway.

15. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a groupin succession, said.

apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means for actuating the same,means enabling the ingress of the animals to the platform and theiregress therefrom, and means for milking and means for treating theanimals while on the platform and moving from the point of ingressto-the point -of egress, part of said last named means being carried bythe platform and part being mounted, adjacent the platform, said pointof ingress being at one side of the platform and said point of egressbeing at the other side of the platform, a walkway leading to the pointof ingress and away from the point of egress and passing both .over andunder the platform, and shelters for theanimals spaced from the platformand connected in circuit with said walkway.

18. Apparatus designed for milking the animals of a group in succession,said apparatus comprising, an endless movable platform, means foractuating the same, means enabling the ingross of the animals to theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking the animalswhile on the platform and moving from the point of ingress to the pointof egress, said point of ingress being at one side of the platformand'said point of egress being at the other side of the platform, awalkway leading to the point of ingress and away from the point ofegress and passing both over" and under the platform, and

shelters for the animals spaced from the platform and connected incircuit withsaid walkway.

17. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a groupin succession, said apparatus comprising, an'e'ndle'ss movable platform,means for actuating the same, means enabling the ingress of the animalsto the platform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking andmeans for treating theanimals while on the platform and moving from thepoint of ingress to the point of egress, said point of ingress being atone side of the platform and said point of egress being at the otherside of the platform, a walkway leading to the point of ingress and awayfrom the point of egress and passing both over and under the platform,and shelters for the animals spaced from the platform and connected incircuit with said walkway, i

18. Apparatus designed for milking and treat ing the animals of a groupin succession, said apparatus comprising, an endless movable platform,means for actuating the same, means enahling the ingress of the animalsto the platform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking andmeans for treating the animals while on the platform and moving from thepoint of ingress to the point of egress, part of saidlast named meansbeing carried by the platform and part beingimouhted adjacent theplatform,

said point of ingress being at one side of the platform and said pointof egress being at at the other side of the platform, a walkway leadingto the point of ingress and away from the point of egress and passingboth over and under the platform, and shelters for the animals spacedfrom the platform and connected in circuit with said walkway.

19. Apparatus designed for milking and treating the animals of a groupin succession, said apparatus comprising, a movable platform, means foractuating the same, means enabling the ingress of the animals to theplatform and their egress therefrom, and means for milking and means fortreating the animals while on the platform and moving from the point ofingress to the point of egress, said treating means including sprayingdevices carried on the platform, and means also carried on the platformfor supplying liquid under pressure to the said devices.

20. In apparatus of the character described, a movable platform,spraying devices carried on the platform, and means also carried on theplatform for supplying liquid under pressure to the said devices, saidlast named means including aliquid reservoir arranged to cooperate witha'source of liquid supply off the platform, and mechanism for drawingliquid from the reservoir and forcing it to the said devices.

21. In apparatus of the character described, a movable platform,spraying devices carried on the platform, and means also carried on theplatform for supplying liquid under pressure to the said devices, saidlast named means including a liquid reservoir arranged to cooperate witha source of liquid supply off the platform, mechanism' for drawingliquid from the reservoir and forcing it to the said devices, and meansfor con-' trolling the level of the liquid in the reservoir.

' KRAEMERL'UKS.

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